Latin America and the Modern World
(1945-Present)
“Latin America Faces New Challenges”
1.) What effect did WWII have on Latin American nations?
 Pre-WWII= rural and agricultural society
 Post-WWII= demands for goods increase= need to develop stable industrial economy
2.) As Latin America tried to develop its economies, what economic issues did they face?
 How to develop industry?
 Need money for development = answer……foreign loans!
 Foreign owned (Multinational corporations) in Latin America leads to resentment
 Reliance on one or two items to export (Monoculture)
 Reduce reliance on foreign imports through tariffs and subsidies to local manufacturers
(Import Substitution)
 Debt , inflation , High Prices , Raise Taxes , Job Cuts
3.) What is NAFTA?
 Stands for: “North American Free Trade Agreement”
 1994 U.S., Mexico, and Canada trade agreement which created a “free-trade zone”
 2003 = Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) sets up free trade between 34 nations in
the “Americas” (excludes Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Dominica, Nicaragua and Honduras)
4.) What effect did industrialization have on Latin American nations?
 Population growth
 Disease
 Poverty
 Pollution
 Urban growth
 Deforestation/Soil Erosion
 Housing and Job shortages
 Plant and Animal extinction
5.) What political and social forces have emerged in Latin American nations?
 Women and Workers gain power
 Roman Catholic Church support welfare and human rights
 Organization of American States (OAS)=foster economic, military, and cultural cooperation
among Western Hemisphere nations and prevent outside nations from intervening
“Mexico”
6.) Discuss Mexico from WWII till recent times.
 1940’s migration to cities
 1940 spurs the Mexican Economic Miracle into the 1970’s
 Stable nation after WWII led by Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and Caudillo
(military leader with authoritarian power) does not allow opposition and reforms
 1960’s political unrest and student protests of PRI
 1970’s oil reserves discovered and boosts economy and Mexico borrows money
 1976 and 1982 economic crisis leads to nationalization of banks, devalued peso, inflation,
and debt








1985 Mexico City earthquake, PRI mishandles reliefs efforts, lead to electoral challenges
1994 NAFTA is created between U.S., Mexico, and Canada
1995 December Mistake Economic Crisis, govt. protests, U.S. give Mexico billions in loans
1996 economy recovers
1997 non-PRI parties take control of Mexico’s Congress
2000 Vicente Fox wins presidency (first non-PRI leader since 1929)
2000 Mexico moves towards Democracy
2000’s illegal-immigration into U.S. and drug wars hurt relationship with U.S.
“Central America”
7.) Examine Nicaragua in modern times.
 1940’s Somoza reigns as dictator
 1950’s U.S. companies pay favors to work throughout Nicaragua (logging/pesticides)
 1963 Election reform allows secret ballot voting and Somoza family placed in ruling class
 1960-1970 beef exports rise to all-time levels
 1970’s people rise up against oppressive government and corruption
 Sandinistas (Marxist Revolutionary Group) lead revolution against dictator Anastasio
Somoza Debayle
 1979 Somoza flees, Sandinistas led by Daniel Ortega seize power and move Nicaragua
towards Communism
 1980’s Contras (U.S. funded revolutionary group) wage civil war with Sandinistas
(Soviet/Cuba aided)
 1990’s Ortega holds free elections and Violeta Barrios de Chamorro is elected leader
 1990’s Nicaragua moves towards democracy, liberalize economy, Sandinistas oppose
reforms and control much of government
 1990’s Corruption and Inflation hurt govt.
 2000’s free elections continue
 2006 Daniel Ortega elected as president again after 16 years out of office
8.) Discuss El Salvador in modern times.
 1940’s- 1960’s dictators rule nation
 authoritarian governments employed political repression and limited reform
 1969, El Salvador invaded Honduras in the short Football War
 1970’s revolutionaries led by José Napoleón Duarte protest govt.
 1979 violent civil war = Salvadoran Armed Forces (ESAF) supported by U.S. vs. Farabundo
Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) supprted by Soviets and Cuba
 1992 Chapultepec Peace Accords marked the end of the civil war
 1990’s two political parties vie for power= ARENA and FMLN
 2000’s high crime and poor economy
 2009 FMLN candidate wins presidency
9.) Analyze Panama in modern times.
 1940’s and 1950’s Panama is a republic
 1950’s Panama’s military begins to challenge govt.
 1964 Martyrs' Day riots against U.S. occupation of the Panama Canal Zone
 1968 Panama’s military coup establishes military dictatorship led by Omar Torrijos
 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed transferring Panama Canal to Panama in 1999
 1981 Torrijos killed in plane crash and Manuel Noriega new dictator
 1980’s U.S. and Panama relations strained due to drug trafficking into U.S. from Panama
 1987 U.S. freezes economic and military aide to Panama
 1989 U.S. Invasion of Panama, arrests Noriega (sentenced to 40 years)
 1989 election, Guillermo Endara, was sworn in as president of Panama
 1990’s move towards democracy but economy in bad shape
 1999 first women president elected and U.S. turns over Panama Canal
 2000’s economic investment boosts economy and drug trafficking fight is successful
10.) How have Central American nations moved towards democracy in recent times.
 ~summarize notes from above Central American nations~
“The Caribbean”
11.) Discuss Cuba from the end of WWII, through the Cold War, and into modern times.
 1940 Cuba holds free and fair elections; Fulgencio Batista is elected president
 1940’s Cuba faces corruption and organized crime
 1944 Cuban people elected Dr. Ramón Grau San Martín
 1952 Fulgencio Batista seizes government in bloodless coup and rules as dictator
 1950’s Cuba’s economy grows
 1956 Cuban Revolution begins, led by Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, and Che Guevara
 1959 Batista flees; Castro seizes control of Cuba; turns Cuba to Communism; rid Cuba of
American influence; upper and middle class flee Cuba
 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion fails; America embarrassed; Cuba draws closer to Soviets
 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis; U.S. trade embargo
 1963 U.S. bans travel and financial transactions with Cuba
 1960’s Castro aides communist revolutions in Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Angola, and
Ethiopia
 1960’s-1989 embargo causes economic problems, food shortages, civil unrest, and
dependence on Soviet aide
 1990’s economic reforms lead to economic recovery
 2003 Castro cracks down on journalists and dissidents
 2006 Castro hospitalized
 2007 Raul Castro becomes acting president
 2008 Fidel Castro steps down as president; Raul Castro permanent president of Cuba
12.) Investigate Puerto Rico from WWII till modern times.
 1947 U.S. grants self government
 1948 Luis Munoz becomes first governor
 1950 constitution of Puerto Rico is written
 1952 becomes a commonwealth
 1950’s Operation Bootstrap = economic shift from agrarian to industrial society
 1950’s and 1960’s= thriving economy
 1970’s and 1980’s= economy slows, people move to U.S. for jobs
 1993 and 1998 Puerto Rico votes to remain commonwealth

2000’s major tourist destination; leading pharmaceutical and manufacturing center;
struggle to define its political status; remains a territory of the U.S.
13.) Examine the history of the Dominican Republic in modern times.
 1930-1961 ruled by dictator Rafael Trujillo
 1940’s has largest military in Latin America (21% spent on military)
 1950’s economic problems due to overspending
 1960 economic sanctions imposed by OAS
 1961 Trujillo assassinated
 1962 Juan Bosch elected democratically
 1963 military coup overthrows Bosch; military 3 party junta installed
 1965 U.S. sends military to aide in preventing attempted communist overthrow
 1966 new constitution written and democracy spreads
 1970’s and 1980’s= politically stable, economy depends on sugar exports, tourism, and
light industry
 Early 1990’s= economic recession, unemployment, inflation, and energy crisis
 Mid 1990’s= economy improves, tourism rises, and inflation down but poverty high (60%)
 2000’s inflation rises and falls, poverty still high, immigration to U.S., aided in U.S. Invasion
of Iraq in 2003, democratic elections
14.) Describe Haiti’s history in the modern world since WWII.
 1930-1946 democracy
 1946 military coup establishes military junta
 1950 military coup
 1956 general strike; leader resigns
 1957 Dr. François Duvalier (aka Papa Doc) elected President
 1960’s authoritarian rule= emigration of educated people; economic & social problems
 1961 U.S. cuts aided due to government corruption
 1971 Jean-Claude Duvalier (aka Baby Doc) succeeds as president; U.S. restores aide
 1970’s economic and political condition continued to decline
 1980’s extreme poverty, corruption, and disease (AIDS, Swine Virus)
 1986 citizen rebellion, military forces Duvalier to resign
 1988 civilian government elected but military coup follows
 1990 Jean-Bertrand Aristide elected president
 1991 rebellion causes Aristide to flee
 1994 U.S. intervention allows Aristide to return
 1995 Rene Preval elected president
 2000 Aristide elected president a second time
 2004 Aristide forced to resign due to corruption and embezzlement
 2006 Rene Preval re-elected
 2000’s poverty, crime, corruption, and protests
 2010 earthquake kills an estimated 200,000 to 300,000
“South America”
15.) Describe the history of Brazil in the modern world since WWII.
 1945 = Dictator Getulio Vargas removed from power by army
 1945-1964= democracy established and economic boom
 1950 = Getulio Vargas elected president
 1954 = military coup removes Vargas
 1961-1964 = economic problems; high inflation & industrialization slowed
 1964 = military overthrows President Goulart, establishes military dictatorship
 1964-1980 = Brazilian Miracle= economic boom
 1964-1985 = civil rights and protests suppressed and political parties banned
 1985 = Tancredo Neves elected president and nations returns to democratic civilian rule
 1990’s = privatization of companies and move to free market
 1998 = economic crisis and recession
 2000’s= unequal distribution of wealth, social reforms, accusations of corruption
16.) Analyze the history of Argentina in the modern world since WWII.
 1943 = military coup forces resignation of President Castillo; establishes dictatorship
 1946 = Juan Peron becomes president, Eva Peron (wife) advises & is loved by the people
 1948-1951 = high government spending, high inflation, suppressed opponents
 1952 = Eva Peron dies of cancer, Juan’s popularity falls
 1955 = military coup overthrows Juan Peron
 1950’s and 1960’s = frequent governments coups; political and economic problems
 Early 1970’s = terrorist campaigns carry out by guerilla fighters from both sides
 1973 = Juan Peron re-elected president w/wife Isabel as Vice President
 1974 = Juan Peron dies, Isabel becomes first women president of Argentina
 1976 = Isabel Peron is overthrown by the military; military controls govt. again
 1976-1983 = military government carries out “dirty war” to eliminate terrorists and anyone
who spoke out against the government; economic issues result
 1982 = Invasion of the Falkland Islands (owned by Great Britain); Britain wins in
embarrassing Argentinean military defeat
 1983 = free elections held; Raul Alfonsin elected president; brings those responsible for
“dirty war” to trial, economy suffers during his reign
 1989 = Carl Menem elected president; economic reforms & military pardons bring stability
 1995 = Menem re-elected to president; economic growth continues
 1999 = Fernando de la Rua elected president; debt leads to worsening economy
 1999-2003 = Economic Crisis leads to inflation, unemployment, poverty, and riots
 2003-Present =“presidential marriage” (husband elected then wife elected); economic
growth with inflation
17.) Discuss the history of Peru in the modern world since WWII.
 1940’s-1970 = rotation between democratic and military governments
 1950’s-1970’s = inflation, unemployment, poverty, and debt
 1980’s = economic depression and drug trafficking
 1980’s = terrorist campaigns against government by Shining Path and Tupac Amaru
Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)
 1990 = Alberto Fujimori elected president; economic growth and lower terrorist attacks
 1995 = Fujimori wins re-election
 1996 = economy slows; MRTA invades Japanese Embassy (hostage crisis)
 1997 = hostage crisis ends; Fujimori’s popularity rises
 2000 = Fujimori flees country due to corruption; arrested for crimes against humanity
 2000’s = economic growth; terrorist still active
18.) Examine the history of Colombia in the modern world since WWII.
 1945-1957 = democratic and military governments
 1945-1957 = La Violencia (the violence) fighting between political groups
 1957 = coalition government formed; rotate presidency
 1970 = stable economy and model for Latin America
 1970’s = Drug Era begins (drug production, drug trade, drug cartels, and violence)
 1980’s = war on drugs begins
 1990’s = drug wars and violence continues
19.) Describe the history of Chile in the modern world since WWII.
 1940’s and 1950’s = model for a stable democracy
 1960’s = stable democracy with social reforms
 1970 = socialist candidate Salvador Allende elected as president; nationalized major
industries and printed more money
 1972 = economic decline with high inflation
 1973 = military coup overthrows and kills Allende
 1973 = military coup leader, Augusto Pinochet becomes president, rules as dictator
 1973-1980 = human rights violations, new constitution, reduced civil liberties, outlawed
political parties, dissolved legislature, free market economy, lower inflation but high
unemployment
 1980’s = foreign investment boosts economy to prosperity by late 1980’s
 1988 = plebiscite votes for Pinochet not to stay in power; choose democracy
 1989 = Patricio Aylwin Azocar elected president; Pinochet remains army leader
 1990’s = economic prosperity; a top economy in Latin America
 2000 = socialist Ricardo Lagos Escobar elected president
 2000’s = free trade agreements with EU, China, Japan, India, and Latin American nations;
growing and stable economy
 2000-2006 = Pinochet arrested 4 times for human rights violations & corruption; dies 2006
20.) Who is Ernesto “Che” Guevara and why is he important to Latin America?
 Where is he from? Argentina
 Who was he? Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader,
diplomat and military theorist
 How did he become involved in Latin America? Traveled throughout Latin America both as
a medical student and on motorcycle tour and witnessed poverty and discrimination
 What event was he involved? Fought Bay of Pigs Invasion for Cuba, trained Cuban
military, Cuban diplomat, gave speech in Algeria, welcomed by Mao, wrote a manual on
guerilla warfare, aided in 1965 Congo civil war, advised Mozambique on independence
movement, aided Bolivian guerilla force against govt. in 1966